GAME PREVIEW - MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS AT IOWA WILD 12.29.14
Dec 29, 2014Milwaukee Admirals (15-11-0-3, 33 points) at Iowa Wild (10-19-1-1, 22 points)
Iowa returns for a quick game at Wells Fargo Arena before heading back out onto the road with four straight. The team returns from a two-game road trip, which it split with stops in Rockford and Grand Rapids. Monday marks the sixth meeting of the season between the Wild and the Admirals. Iowa leads the season series with a 3-2-0-0 mark, taking the last three contests by a combined score of 9-5. The home team has lost four of the five meetings of the series. Milwaukee is 10-4-0-1 all-time. including a 7-0-0-1 mark at Wells Fargo Arena. The Wild is 5-8-1-1 overall and 1-6-1-0 at home all-time against the Ads. The two teams play a total of eight times this season, including two more games in Milwaukee.
Iowa is 5-10-0-0 at home this season, having been outscored 48-35 by the visitors. The Wild is coming off a 9-2 defeat at Grand Rapids on Saturday. Milwaukee is 8-4-0-2 on the road, while outscoring the home teams 42-34. The Ads are 3-6-0-1 over the last ten games, while Iowa is 5-5-0-0. The Admirals dropped a 6-2 decision at Chicago on Friday night.
Upcoming Games:
Team Date Time Radio / TV
vs. Milwaukee 12/29 7:00 PM iHeartRadio / MC 22
at Rochester 1/2 6:05 PM (CT) KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Utica 1/3 6 PM (CT) KXNO / iHeartRadio
at Texas 1/9 7:30 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
at San Antonio 1/10 7:00 PM KXNO / iHeartRadio
Transactions:
12.27.14 – Delete – G John Curry (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
12.28.14 – Delete – F Brett Sutter (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
12.28.14 – Delete – F Tyler Graovac (recalled by Minnesota – NHL)
12.28.14 – Add – D Justin Falk (assigned by Minnesota – NHL)
12.29.14 – Add – G Parker Milner (signed PTO)
Last Time Out
The Iowa Wild were defeated by the Grand Rapids Griffins 9-2 in front of 10,834 fans on Saturday at Van Andel Arena. The Griffins scored three times in the first period and five times in the second period to put Iowa away. Six different Griffins picked up a multi-point game in the victory. Teemu Pulkkinen led the charge with one goal and four points. Grand Rapids goalie Tom McCollum made 26 saves for the win. Iowa goalie Johan Gustafsson finished with 18 saves on 27 shots, taking the defeat in two periods of action. Wild goalie David DeSander made his AHL debut with six saves in the third period. Forwards Jordan Schroeder and Tyler Graovac scored in the Iowa road loss.
Iowa Wild
Through 31 games this season, forwards Tyler Graovac, Michael Keranen and Jordan Schroeder are the team’s leading scorers. Recalled on Sunday, Graovac leaves as the team leader in goals and points. He had 12 goals and 24 points in 31 games this season. Keranen is tied for the team lead in scoring with 24 points. He leads the team with 19 assists in 31 games. Schroeder is third on the squad with seven goals and 20 points in 25 games played. Recalled on Sunday, center Brett Sutter was fourth on the team with 15 points off six goals and nine assists in 30 games played. Forwards Zack Phillips (13 pts) and Marc Hagel (13 pts) are also among the team leaders. Jon Blum leads all defensemen with four goals and 14 points in 26 games played.
Goalies Johan Gustafsson, Parker Milner and Josh Harding man the Iowa Wild crease. Harding is 0-1-1 with a 3.37 GAA and a .920 SV%. Currently in Minnesota, Curry was 5-6-0 with a 2.84 GAA and a 0.917 SV%. Johan Gustafsson is 5-12-1 with a 3.60 GAA and a .889 SV % in Iowa.
Iowa’s power play is ranked 19th at 15.6%, while the penalty kill sits 29th at 79.1%.
Notables –
· When scoring first, Iowa is 8-4-1-1 and Milwaukee is 10-2-0-2.
· Iowa’s nine goals allowed on Saturday night in Grand Rapids tied the team record for most allowed. The Wild allowed nine goals in a 9-1 loss at Milwaukee on Feb. 26, 2013.
Milwaukee Admirals
Through the first 29 games of the season, rookie Brendan Leipsic leads the club in scoring with 22 points off four goals and 18 assists. He is fifth best among all AHL rookies. His 18 assists are second among all first-year skaters. Austin Watson leads the team with six goals and tied for second in points with 17 in 29 games. Rookie Pontus Aberg is second on the club with 11 goals and is tied for second in scoring with 17 points in 26 games played. Viktor Arvidsson is fifth on the team in points off seven goals and 15 points in 29 contests. Defenseman Taylor Aronson is fourth in points with 16 in 28 games played. Aronson is second on the team with 13 assists.
Goalie Marek Mazanec has started 18 games with an 8-8-1 mark, to go along with 2.59 GAA and a .908 SV%. Magnus Hellberg is 7-3-2 with a 1.81 GAA and a .930 SV%.
Milwaukee’s power play is ranked 22nd at 15.3%, while the penalty kill sits 9th at 85.2%.